A common problem experienced by athletes and non-athletes alike when wearing shoes is the shifting of weight toward the ball and toe portions of their feet and shoes. The toe and ball portions of a foot, and more particularly, a metatarsal region of the ball portion of the foot, generally receive a majority of the normal pressures of the foot when a person walks and/or runs during the course of the day. Moreover, experiencing such pressures intermittently when making sudden stops or cuts while participating in more vigorous activities such as football or soccer, for example, may also cause severe soreness, callouses, and/or foot damage known as ‘turf toe’.
Furthermore, individuals already suffering from various frontal foot maladies such as, for example, calluses, corns, and hammertoes, are oftentimes unable to comfortably wear shoes and, therefore, resort to the use of one or more different types of known toe and/or foot pads to mitigate the pain. The daily or semi-daily use of these known toe and/or foot pads can provide limited results and can involve a relatively complex and time-consuming application procedure. As a result, some individuals resort to wearing larger shoes to reduce or eliminate the agitation of their foot maladies. However, oversized shoes can introduce new foot discomfort because they do not properly fit the foot.
Accordingly, a need exists for a device that can be readily slipped onto a front portion of a foot and that can cushion and protect the foot against pressures created by the shifting of weight toward the front of a shoe. In particular, a need exists for a device that is capable of readily conforming to the shape of the wearer's front foot and cushioning it from various pressures encountered during activities ranging from casual walking to strenuous sporting activities requiring sudden stops and/or lateral movement.